Children chased giant bubbles across the lawn, explored the butterfly house and marched through the grounds in a colorful butterfly parade Saturday as hundreds of visitors gathered for The Watershed Institute’s 26th Annual Butterfly Festival.
The annual event combined hands-on environmental education with family-friendly entertainment, giving visitors opportunities to meet rescued reptiles, observe butterflies and caterpillars up close, explore interactive exhibits and learn about the connections between healthy ecosystems and everyday life.
“The goal of the butterfly festival is to give people a chance to come and connect with the things that are all around them and that are really important to our environment,” said Sophie Glovier, chief of strategy and program at the Watershed.
Throughout the day, families wandered between attractions that included the butterfly house, an insect zoo, aquatic exhibits inside the Watershed’s LEED-Platinum certified building and presentations by Eyes of the Wild, where rescued reptiles and other animals helped teach visitors about wildlife conservation. Children also enjoyed games, bubbles, music, crafts and local vendors while many arrived wearing colorful butterfly wings in celebration of the festival.
Connecting butterflies to clean water
While butterflies provided the inspiration for the day, organizers said the festival’s larger mission is helping people understand the connections between nature, wildlife and clean water.
New this year was an exhibit focused on harmful algal blooms, introducing visitors to a growing water quality concern linked to climate change. The display explained how blooms develop, how to recognize them and the research underway to better understand and prevent them.
“The way that we keep our waterways healthy is to take good care of the land that’s around them,” Glovier said. “The presence of caterpillars and butterflies demonstrates that everything is all connected. Everything is working together.”
Glovier said the festival is designed to make those lessons approachable.
“I think it’s a great way for people to have fun while they’re learning,” she said.
That balance between education and entertainment was evident throughout the afternoon. Children darted through clouds of bubbles, examined caterpillars inside the butterfly house, danced during the butterfly parade and gathered around live animal demonstrations, while parents explored exhibits and vendor booths spread across the Watershed campus.
For Caitlyn Sweeney, that combination is what makes the festival special.
“It’s educational and very family-friendly,” she said.
